Perry-Martel is an Ottawa executive search firm built to help CEOs and owners in construction, real estate, and technology hire leaders who deliver results, not just interview well.
For nearly four decades, we’ve been recruited into the boardrooms and war rooms of growth-minded companies who can’t afford a misfire at the top. They come to us when the usual suspects, job boards, and “post-and-pray” recruiters are nowhere near good enough.
Who We Are
Perry-Martel International is a boutique Ottawa executive search firm with a global reach and a very specific focus:
- Construction and real estate development
- Technology and SaaS
- Mission-critical C-suite and next-level leaders
We work directly with CEOs, founders, owners, boards, and investors who understand that the right leader changes the trajectory of the whole company — and the wrong one burns time, capital, and reputation.
Our approach is not HR-led. It’s CEO-led, business-first, and built around the hard realities of P&L, growth, and execution.
What We Do (And What We Don’t)
We recruit:
- CEOs, Presidents, COOs, CFOs, CROs
- Division GMs, VPs of Operations, VPs of Construction
- CTOs, VP Engineering, Product and Revenue leaders in tech
We don’t run volume recruiting, temp, or resume-flinging. Every mandate is bespoke, research-heavy, and tied to a clear business outcome: revenue growth, market expansion, succession, or turnaround.
Our work is anchored in a structured, six-stage Inside-Out search process and a 1:3:8 framework that looks beyond the résumé to how a leader will build a team, move the numbers, and navigate a 4.0 world.
Why CEOs Trust Our Ottawa Executive Search Firm
CEOs and owners in construction, real estate, and technology don’t need another vendor. They need a thinking partner who can challenge assumptions, cut through internal politics, and deliver a short list of leaders who can actually carry the load.
They work with us because:
- We start with the business, not the job description. We dig into strategy, margin, backlog, deal flow, and capacity before we ever write a profile.
- We go off-market. The best leaders are usually not applying online. We find them through targeted research, referrals, and quiet conversations.
- We speak the language of the field and the boardroom. We understand sites, schedules, and permits in construction, as well as product, pipeline, and burn rate in tech.
- We stay involved until the hire is integrated. We don’t disappear at offer letter. We help you land, onboard, and integrate the executive so they’re effective quickly, not just “in the building.”
In short: our clients trust our Ottawa executive search firm because we treat every mandate like it’s our capital on the line.
Who We Serve
We partner primarily with:
- Construction companies, trades, and developers building or scaling in Ottawa and across Canada
- Real estate owners, developers, funds, and operating companies
- Technology and SaaS firms, from growth-stage ventures to established market leaders
Many of our searches start in Ottawa and radiate outward — across Canada, the U.S., and international markets — when the right leader isn’t in your backyard.
Whether you’re building a new division, stepping into succession, or trying to stabilize a high-growth operation that’s straining at the seams, we design the search around the reality you’re living, not a generic template.
About the Leadership Behind Perry-Martel
Perry-Martel is led by David E. Perry, a veteran executive recruiter, author, and strategist known for:
- Four decades of high-stakes executive search assignments around the world
- Authoring multiple books on recruiting and job search, including Hiring Greatness, Executive Recruiting for Dummies, and Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters
- Pioneering a CEO-led search model and 4.0 leadership approach that aligns talent strategy with the realities of today’s economy
David’s work has been featured across business media, and his philosophy is simple: recruiting is a strategic weapon, not an HR chore.
What Happens When You Work With Us
When you retain Perry-Martel, you can expect:
- A candid, diagnostic conversation about your business — not a sales pitch.
- A clear, written leadership mandate that ties the role to measurable outcomes.
- A disciplined, research-driven search process with regular, unvarnished updates.
- A short list of leaders you could credibly put in front of your board, investors, and team.
- Support through offer, negotiation, and integration in the first crucial months.
No fluff. No mystery. Just rigorous search work designed around your company, sector, and stage.
Talk to Us
If you’re a CEO, owner, or investor in construction, real estate, or technology and you know your next move hinges on the right leader, let’s talk.
Learn more about our Ottawa executive search firm and how we can help you build the kind of leadership team that doesn’t just hold the fort — it changes the game.
